Banning religious articles is asinine. Why they want to take headscarfs away is a misguided policy. If they want to liberate women, then they should give them opportunities to leave their abusive situation. You cannot force someone to be free. Many of these women feel that is their duty by god. shiat like this besoils ones conscience.

Well, the school is a public venue that can't discriminate against religion, whereas when you're an employee, a manager certainly has the leeway to tell you what you may or may not wear.

This is similar to Sarah Palin claiming FOX won't let her say whatever she wants, and claiming violation of her First Amendment rights. When the government tells you to shut up. that's illegal. When your boss tells you, you can shut up, or quit.

Well, I would normally support the vilification of Christians as a matter of moral principle, in the case of religious clothing, adornments, etc, I kind of like being able to spot them.

You know to hold your wallet, guard your beer supply and keep a steady eye on your daughter. First thing you let the Christians around, next thing you know your daughter has run off and your dog is pregnant.

Relatively Obscure:A nine-year-old girl from south London has been forbidden from wearing her hijab[...]Which leads us to draw the inevitable comparison to[...]the Christian Baptist who was sacked for refusing to work

These two things do seem identical.

That article was the stupidest thing I've read on Fark today. Stupider than any comment in any Fark thread today. And that's saying something.

True Christians wouldn't give a flying fark about wearing a symbol or otherwise proclaiming their theological status - they'd simply live the life, walk the walk and such. It's the self-rightous pious asslickers that screw up any belief system basically. Avoid zealots, they tend to be humorless, judgmental and hypocritical beyond reality.

/stopping going to church as of this week for these very reasons. My 'religion' is kindness and understanding. Labels be damned (literally).

Relatively Obscure:A nine-year-old girl from south London has been forbidden from wearing her hijab[...]Which leads us to draw the inevitable comparison to[...]the Christian Baptist who was sacked for refusing to work

These two things do seem identical.

Following up to this statement, to state I wholeheartedly agree. Maybe someone has an image macro to abbreviate this sentiment.

I say we ban banning. That way if nothing can be banned, then everything is a go and people can just fight it out rumble style to settle their petty differences. As long as only fists and chains are allowed..

The only practical solution to these race and cultural problems is to increase non-white immigration until whites are no longer a viable majority. Preferably even asked to assimilate into the culture of non-white immigrant populations. I congratulate the author of this article for "stepping up" but now he needs to "step back". While we may agree with his opinion, too long faces of his complexion have dominated the debate and historically as led to oppression and biased politics and sciences. Soon he will one day be a minority and no the true meaning of social justice.

Relatively Obscure:A nine-year-old girl from south London has been forbidden from wearing her hijab[...]Which leads us to draw the inevitable comparison to[...]the Christian Baptist who was sacked for refusing to work

These two things do seem identical.

This. (assuming sarcasm)

As usual, Christians feels discriminated because they can't impose their religion on someone else, while at the same time discriminating against another faith for doing something that affects no one else."What do you mean I can't put stone monuments carved with the ten commandments in front of the courthouse? You don't eat Skittles because gelatin is made with pork fat!"

A girl going to her local school, wearing clothing mandated by her religious sect, is not the same as an adult going to the workplace with a jewelry affectation NOT mandated by her religious sect. The kid really doesn't have a lot of choice about where she goes to school, or about wearing the hijab, while the grownup Christian can work elsewhere or leave the plus sign at home with no consequences except to her widdle feewings.

I lean toward the Muslims here, despite being constantly offended by the unstated insinuation that I am a slavering rapist kept at bay only because they conceal their hair from me.

ChuDogg:The only practical solution to these race and cultural problems is to increase non-white immigration until whites are no longer a viable majority. Preferably even asked to assimilate into the culture of non-white immigrant populations. I congratulate the author of this article for "stepping up" but now he needs to "step back". While we may agree with his opinion, too long faces of his complexion have dominated the debate and historically as led to oppression and biased politics and sciences. Soon he will one day be a minority and no the true meaning of social justice.

What kind of loony world does the author live in? Here is the last paragraph:

It is possible, therefore, to mount a reasonable defence of banning [hijab] in school. Sacking a Christian employee for expressing her faith in a modest and personal fashion, however, is indefensible, and the Government's position on that issue is shameful.

The hijab is an integral part of the muslim faith for women, it all ties into how their women are inferior and need to be coddled and kept away from the lustful eyes of their fathers and brothers. Crosses are something Christians can wear to show they are intolerant of your religion and are more pious than you are. They are so much like jesus they need to have a little cross of their own to show they are bearing YOUR sins for YOU, you filthy non jesus lover.

Why would we compare a form of expressing your religion in a tacky little religious ornament to that of a cornerstone of the faith for women and muslims?

mbillips:A girl going to her local school, wearing clothing mandated by her religious sect, is not the same as an adult going to the workplace with a jewelry affectation NOT mandated by her religious sect.

There's no such thing as "Mandated", you are trying to draw a distinction between people freely expressing their love for their imaginary best friends.

ChuDogg:The only practical solution to these race and cultural problems is to increase non-white immigration until whites are no longer a viable majority. Preferably even asked to assimilate into the culture of non-white immigrant populations. I congratulate the author of this article for "stepping up" but now he needs to "step back". While we may agree with his opinion, too long faces of his complexion have dominated the debate and historically as led to oppression and biased politics and sciences. Soon he will one day be a minority and no the true meaning of social justice.

mbillips:People need to chill on the regulatin' what other people wear, BUT.

A girl going to her local school, wearing clothing mandated by her religious sect, is not the same as an adult going to the workplace with a jewelry affectation NOT mandated by her religious sect. The kid really doesn't have a lot of choice about where she goes to school, or about wearing the hijab, while the grownup Christian can work elsewhere or leave the plus sign at home with no consequences except to her widdle feewings.

I lean toward the Muslims here, despite being constantly offended by the unstated insinuation that I am a slavering rapist kept at bay only because they conceal their hair from me.

It's mostly this, heavily weighted toward the fact that this is a 9-year old child. It's not like making HER take off the hijab is going to make HER PARENTS more tolerant or less slavishly devoted to their religion; and it might make it worse for the child at her home or in her community. If they are conservative enough, they could just yank her out of school completely and send her back to the Old Country where 9-year old girls are old enough to be wives.

Which is not to say that firing someone for their choice of jewelry isn't completely asinine; just that any Christian woman whose faith is so fragile she has to compare her situation to a young child's is probably not doing herself any favors.